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Tenth Day
-
Novel II

[Voice:
elissa
]

[
001
]
Ghino di Tacco captures the Abbot of Cluny, cures him of
a disorder of the stomach, and releases him. The
abbot, on his return to the court of Rome, reconciles
Ghino with Pope Boniface, and makes him prior of
the Hospital.

[Voice:
author
]

[
002
]
When an end was made of extolling the magnificence shewn by
King Alfonso towards the Florentine knight, the king, who had
listened to the story with no small pleasure, bade Elisa follow suit;
and forthwith Elisa began:

[Voice:
elissa
]

[
003
]
Dainty my ladies, undeniable it is that
for a king to be magnificent, and to entreat magnificently one that
has done him service, is a great matter, and meet for commendation.
What then shall we say when the tale is of a dignitary of the Church
that shewed wondrous magnificence towards one whom he might
well have entreated as an enemy, and not have been blamed by a
soul? [
004
]
Assuredly nought else than that what in the king was virtue
was in the prelate nothing less than a miracle, seeing that for superlative
greed the clergy, one and all, outdo us women, and wage war
to the knife upon every form of liberality. And albeit all men are
by nature prone to avenge their wrongs, 'tis notorious that the clergy,
however they may preach longsuffering, and commend of all things
the forgiving of trespasses, are more quick and hot to be avenged
than the rest of mankind. Now this, to wit, after what manner a
prelate shewed magnificence, will be made manifest to you in my
story.

[Voice:
elissa
]

[
005
]
Ghino di Tacco, a man redoubtable by reason of his truculence
and his high-handed deeds, being banished from Siena, and at enmity
with the Counts of Santa Fiore, raised Radicofani in revolt against
the Church of Rome, and there abiding, harried all the surrounding
country with his soldiers, plundering all wayfarers. [
006
]
Now Pope
Boniface VIII. being at Rome, there came to court the Abbot
of Cluny, who is reputed one of the wealthiest prelates in the
world; and having there gotten a disorder of the stomach, he was
advised by the physicians to go to the baths of Siena, where (they
averred) he would certainly be cured. So, having obtained the
Pope's leave, reckless of the bruit of Ghino's exploits, he took the
road, being attended by a great and well-equipped train of sumpter-horses
and servants. [
007
]
Ghino di Tacco, getting wind of his approach,
spread his nets to such purpose as without the loss of so much as a
boy to surround the abbot, with all his servants and effects, in a
strait pass, from which there was no exit. Which done, he sent
one of his men, the cunningest of them all, with a sufficient retinue to
the abbot, who most lovingly on Ghino's part besought the abbot to
come and visit Ghino at the castle. [
008
]
Whereto the abbot, very wroth,
made answer that he would none of it, for that nought had he to do
with Ghino; but that he purposed to continue his journey, and
would fain see who would hinder him. [
009
]
“
Sir,
”
returned the envoy,
assuming a humble tone,
“
you are come to a part of the country
where we have no fear of aught save the might of God, and where
excommunications and interdicts are one and all under the ban;
wherefore you were best be pleased to shew yourself agreeable to
Ghino in this particular.
”
[
010
]
As they thus spoke, Ghino's soldiers
shewed themselves on every side, and it being thus manifest to the
abbot that he and his company were taken prisoners, he, albeit
mightily incensed, suffered himself with all his train and effects to be
conducted by the envoy to the castle; where the abbot, being
alighted, was lodged in a small and very dark and discomfortable
room, while his retinue, according to their several conditions, were
provided with comfortable quarters in divers parts of the castle, the
horses well stabled and all the effects secured, none being in any
wise tampered with. [
011
]
Which done, Ghino hied him to the abbot,
and:
“
Sir,
”
quoth he,
“
Ghino, whose guest you are, sends me to
entreat you to be pleased to inform him of your destination, and the
purpose of your journey.
”
[
012
]
The abbot, vailing his pride like a wise
man, told whither he was bound and for what purpose. Whereupon
Ghino left him, casting about how he might cure him without a
bath. To which end he kept a great fire ever burning in the little
chamber, and had it closely guarded, and returned not to the abbot
until the ensuing morning, when he brought him in a spotless napkin
two slices of toast and a great beaker of vernaccia of Corniglia, being
of the abbot's own vintage; [
013
]
and:
“
Sir,
”
quoth he to the abbot,
“
Ghino, as a young man, made his studies in medicine, and avers that
he then learned that there is no better treatment for disorder of the
stomach than that which he will afford you, whereof the matters
that I bring you are the beginning; wherefore take them and be of
good cheer.
”

[Voice:
elissa
]

[
014
]
The abbot, being far too hungry to make many words about the
matter, ate (albeit in high dudgeon) the toast, and drank the vernaccia;
which done, he enlarged on his wrongs in a high tone, with
much questioning and perpending; and above all he demanded to see
Ghino. [
015
]
Part of what the abbot said Ghino disregarded as of no
substance, to other part he replied courteously enough; and having
assured him that Ghino would visit him as soon as might be, he took
his leave of him; nor did he return until the morrow, when he
brought him toast and vernaccia in the same quantity as before;
and so he kept him several days: then, having marked that the
abbot had eaten some dried beans that he had secretly brought and
left there of set purpose, [
016
]
he asked him in Ghino's name how he
felt in the stomach.
“
Were I but out of Ghino's hands,
”
replied the
abbot,
“
I should feel myself well, indeed: next to which, I desire
most of all a good breakfast, so excellent a cure have his medicines
wrought on me.
”
[
017
]
Whereupon Ghino caused the abbot's servants to
furnish a goodly chamber with the abbot's own effects, and there
on the morrow make ready a grand banquet, at which all the abbot's
suite and not a few of the garrison being assembled, he hied him to
the abbot, and:
“
Sir,
”
quoth he,
“
'tis time you left the infirmary,
seeing that you now feel yourself well;
”
and so saying, he took him
by the hand, and led him into the chamber made ready for him, and
having left him there with his own people, made it his chief concern
that the banquet should be magnificent. [
018
]
The abbot's spirits revived
as he found himself again among his men, with whom he talked a
while, telling them how he had been entreated, wherewith they
contrasted the signal honour which they, on the other hand, had,
one and all, received from Ghino.

[Voice:
elissa
]

Breakfast-time came, and with order meet the abbot and the
rest were regaled with good viands and good wines, Ghino still
suffering not the abbot to know who he was. [
019
]
But when the abbot
had thus passed several days, Ghino, having first had all his effects
collected in a saloon, and all his horses, to the poorest jade, in the
courtyard below, hied him to the abbot and asked him how he felt,
and if he deemed himself strong enough to ride. The abbot replied
that he was quite strong enough, and that 'twould be well indeed
with him, were he once out of Ghino's hands. [
020
]
Ghino then led him
into the saloon in which were his effects and all his retinue, and
having brought him to a window, whence he might see all his horses:
[
021
]
“
Sir Abbot,
”
quoth he,
“
you must know that 'tis not for that he
has an evil heart, but because, being a gentleman, he is banished from
his home, and reduced to poverty, and has not a few powerful enemies,
that in defence of his life and honour, Ghino di Tacco, whom you see
before you, has become a robber of highways and an enemy to the
court of Rome. [
022
]
But such as I am, I have cured you of your malady
of the stomach, and taking you to be a worthy lord, I purpose not to
treat you as I would another, from whom, were he in my hands, as
you are, I should take such part of his goods as I should think fit;
but I shall leave it to you, upon consideration of my need, to assign
to me such portion of your goods as you yourself shall determine.
[
023
]
Here are they before you undiminished and unimpaired, and from
this window you may see your horses below in the courtyard;
wherefore take the part or take the whole, as you may see fit, and
be it at your option to tarry here, or go hence, from this hour
forth.
”

[Voice:
elissa
]

[
024
]
The abbot marvelled to hear a highway robber speak thus
liberally, and such was his gratification that his wrath and fierce
resentment departed from him, nay, were transformed into kindness,
insomuch that in all cordial amity he hasted to embrace Ghino,
saying: [
025
]
“
By God I swear, that to gain the friendship of a man such
I now deem thee to be, I would be content to suffer much greater
wrong than that which until now, meseemed, thou hadst done me.
Cursed be Fortune that constrains thee to ply so censurable a trade.
”
[
026
]
Which said, he selected a very few things, and none superfluous,
from his ample store, and having done likewise with the horses, ceded
all else to Ghino, and hied him back to Rome; [
027
]
where, seeing him,
the Pope, who to his great grief had heard of his capture, asked him
what benefit he had gotten from the baths. Whereto the abbot
made answer with a smile:
“
Holy Father, I found nearer here than
the baths a worthy physician who has wrought a most excellent cure
on me:
”
he then recounted all the circumstances, whereat the Pope
laughed. Afterwards, still pursuing the topic, the abbot, yielding to
the promptings of magnificence, asked a favour of the Pope; [
028
]
who,
expecting that he would ask somewhat else than he did, liberally
promised to give him whatever he should demand. Whereupon:
“
Holy Father,
”
quoth the abbot,
“
that which I would crave of you
is that you restore Ghino di Tacco, my physician, to your favour;
seeing that among the good men and true and meritorious that I have
known, he is by no means of the least account. And for the evil life
that he leads, I impute it to Fortune rather than to him: [
029
]
change then
his fortune, by giving him the means whereby he may live in manner
befitting his rank, and I doubt not that in a little while your
judgment of him will jump with mine.
”
[
030
]
Whereto the Pope, being
magnanimous, and an admirer of good men and true, made answer
that so he would gladly do, if Ghino should prove to be such as the
abbot said; and that he would have him brought under safe conduct
to Rome. [
031
]
Thither accordingly under safe conduct came Ghino, to
the abbot's great delight; nor had he been long at court before the
Pope approved his worth, and restored him to his favour, granting
him a great office, to wit, that of prior of the Hospital, whereof he
made him knight. Which office he held for the rest of his life,
being ever a friend and vassal of Holy Church and the Abbot of
Cluny.